Austin Architects and contractors representing Heimsath Architects and Braun & Butler Construction took on a major home repair project as volunteers for Hands on Housing. The early Saturday gathering of nearly two-dozen contractors, architects and family members got quickly to work on a number of repairs for an elderly East Austin homeowner. By the end of the day, a back porch was re-structured and repaired, rotted boards were replaced with matching siding, trees and bushes were trimmed, and the entire house was repainted with bright new colors.
Along the way, several additional needs were identified. The crew not only cleaned and reset gutters and downspouts, they also added gutter guards to prevent more leaves from future clogs. Exterior light fixtures were reset and new bulbs added. Finally, the old street numbers were removed and a new set placed near the door used most frequently by the homeowner.
Hands on Housing is a service program coordinated by the Austin non-profit, Interfaith Action of Central Texas (IAct). Twice a year, volunteer groups are assigned to work on major repair projects for needy homeowners. Most of the clients are older, long-time residents who live on fixed incomes. The goal is to keep homeowners safe and help them remain in the homes and the neighborhoods they love. In nearly two-and-a-half decades of service, Hands on Housing volunteers have repaired over 1,400 homes.